Easier to train breeds for me? Which breed for me?

sorry, not read through but I have noticed dobermanns and ex-racers mentioned in the thread.

A dobermann, pretty much of any age will most likely be more challenging and higher energy than an ex-racing greyhound. Just thought it worth noting. They are a very active breed (dobes)

Not sure I'd class a Bull Terrier as a low energy, easy to train dog. The ones I know are rather "what's in it for me?" and about as low energy as your average tornado.

This did make me chuckle this morning!

There`s a training book with a bull terrier featured on the front...
It`s called: When Pigs Fly: Training Success with Impossible Dogs

At least I can make someone laugh SB

Have that book right on my shelf Love it! Its a great training technique for most non-biddable dogs (and not just about Bull Terriers!) It focuses mainly on clicker training and free shaping (which is a lot of fun as you can literally see the dog's brain whirring like mad trying to figure out what you want him to do!)

But it also points out that EBTs won awards in obedience training, the owners just need to be patient and willing to alter their training methods to fit the dog's 'wants'.

Who said they were easy to train? While not impossible I never would class them as 'biddable'. I /did/ try to warn the OP of their 'bully runs' and tendency to let it out if not exercised properly. Although the my friend swears that his is calm and lazy indoors as long as he gets his 'manic' hour outdoors. Maybe he was just fortunate?

You suggested them to the OP who is looking for an easy to train, low energy dog. EBTs don't exactly fit the bill on either of those points. The ones I know are fairly calm indoors but they get more exercise than the OP says they can give. The one I knew who wasn't exercised properly was a nightmare.

I know I am a bit late to this thread, but where I grew up in rural Scotland everyone seemed to have black labs which ticked most of your boxes. I think they may have been a gun dog strain/line as all the grouse shooters used them. The ones people had as pets were smaller and lower energy than the ones you would see in a dog show, but they all seemed almost boring because they were so easy! Maybe there is a breeder of black labs near you that breeds for low energy? (I know this seems contradictory if they were a working gun line. Maybe someone locally bred them and the grouse dogs were completely different)

When I got my last puppy, I went to a shelter where they had about 40 pups under the age of one in a pen together (this was in Thailand and I am not sure if in the US the pups would be in separate pens). There were all sorts of personalities and energies there, but I chose the cute brown puppy who was calmly sitting next to the man in there with them. He was 5 months then and he has turned out to be an absolutely fantastic dog! Great with dogs, always up for play but will lie calmly if no one is up for it.

Hi

I plugged all of your criteria into the Who's Ya Doggy? breed selector and by the time I reached the end it had only one breed left out of 359 searched! The breed it came up with is the Grand Bleu de Gascogne. I saved a link with all of your criteria in it here: http://dogbreedguide.whosyadoggy.com/?x=3D

You may need to be flexible with some of the criteria. e.g. Dogs which are very low aggression toward people and other animals tend not to make great watchdogs as they feel no need to defend. If you can do without much guarding behavior you will then have 12 breeds to choose from: http://dogbreedguide.whosyadoggy.com/?x=3H

...and if you can be flexible about coat length and include 'Medium', suddenly you have 26 breeds to choose from: http://dogbreedguide.whosyadoggy.com/?x=3I

If you find hard training the dog you currently have then you shouldnt even begin to be considering staffs or pits.

Especially since you have kids. Maybe you should train and work with your current dog a bit more before considering another one because if you find it hard with one its going to be harder with two especially with guarding type breed.

I don't think you have fully researched your breeds or propperly looked into this most GSD's have long coats unless you take them to the groomers on a regular basis plus in certain states pit balls are banned.

Both Pitballs and staffs are terrior type breeds need lots of exercise and are well known for maulling children if you believe what the papers say. They will both have a strong instinct to chase small creatures including cats and other dogs. Unless you have an understanding of their training and socialising needs.

Please tell me you are kidding What utter tosh.

I think that an ex-racer might be suitable for your requirements. If not, I actually think an adult rescue staffie or staffie x could be a great match. A lot of staffies are fantastic with kids. If you got an adult rescue that was laid back and proven with other dogs, then I think you'd be onto a winner. They may not be a breed for winning obedience trophies, but the right tempered staff will be no harder to train basic commands than any other dog. Or just go to a rescue and find a crossbred with the right sort of temperament

where I live staffs are all ways in the papers for attacking children, people animals. Of course this is because people don't bother training their dogs or exercising them propperly or just dont have the respect and know how to train such a breed. Plus staffs are so frequantly bred and readily available i dont think that does anything for the breed either, few people bother going in search a reputable breeder when they can get the same dog for peanuts from someone less then compatent at breeding dogs, its sad but true. The only kinds of people i see with a staff are chavs and hoodies I only sensible staffie owners when I got to the park.

Unortunately ive seen pit balls in my area and know the exist as my friend owns a blue staff was stopped by police but they only got questioned.

Those pit balls are dangerous things..


Interestingly there's a thread on another dog forum I'm on about another supposed Staffie attack recently. A member of the forum actually knows the people involved and guess what - the supposed Staffie was actually a Husky! Makes you wonder how many of the other stories are misreported, and Staffies/Pitbull types getting the blame wrongly.

Yes, these breeds may be the breed of choice for many an idiot but that doesn't mean that the entire breed is prone to mauling children.

Pit balls! Brilliant!

I live in the same area as Pippam and I can tell you I`ve only seen one or two PBT types there and they are generally American Bulldog crosses. The Southend Police are pretty hot on `type` dogs.
There was a child mauled here recently, but that was by a totally different breed.

dont you find its all ways the young hoodies thinking they look tough with a staff on the end of the lead? -.-

Ive seen the odd american bull dog and boxer around here bull type breeds in general seem very popular in our area makes you wonder.

It was 2 rottwhilers that was responsible for the attack on the child it was quite horrific unfortunately tsupid people often tend to keep these types of dogs with little or no knowledge on how to care for them or manage meet their needs.

Im not trying to put these breeds down or turn it into an anti staff/pit ball thread its just the idiots are responsible for these attacks often have these kinds of hardman breeds hence these breeds get such a bad rep. I think anyone who has trouble in training other dog breeds should not even begin considering thinking about getting a guarding or bull type breed thats just asking for trouble.

You've mentioned GSDs and Akitas - 2 breeds I grew up with. If you want a dog that's easy to train please don't sconsider an Akita. They are notoriously stubborn and fifficult. it is possible to train them but you have to find out what the trigger is - what turns them on - what makes them WANT to do what you tell them to. For example, you can play fetch or try to train retrieve. You can throw a ball down the garden ansd the dog will go and fetch it back for you. You throw it a second time and the dog will look at you as though you're crazy but will still go and get the ball, albeit at a much slower pace. The third time you throw the ball, the dog will look at you, turn it's back and walk away - as if to say "you threw the damn thing, you go fetch it back!".
Akitas can be very challenging, even if you have them from a young pup but training any breed can at times be a challenge.

GSDs are very biddable and easy to train by comparison. having said that, I'm having problems with training my oldest GSD at the moment but that's something that I have to sort out sooner rather than later.
As a rule though, GSDs are not medium sized dogs and are not lazy. They do need a lot of exercise and this can be difficult if you're not an active person.
Due to disability I cannot always do everything I want to for my dogs. So basically because I'm a stubborn vcow, I make sure the dogs get their training ans exercise, then I suffer for it later that evening/night. But that's just me. I'm not saying you should put yourself through pain if you know in advance you're not going to enjoy the dog you have.

I've also owned a lot of crossbreeds and mutts but you can never guarantee what you'll get.

Have you considered getting one of the rescue dogs that have been trained by long term prisoners? I notice you're in the US and I knwo that some prisons allow some of their prisoners to take on a rescue dog for 3 months or so; during which time the dog is trained in basic obedience.

I don't think there is any specific breed that gets along with kids or cats. It's down to the individual dog. The majority of dogs like children if they haven't been hurt by them. Also, it's easy to have a dog "cat tested". Sometimes it will take a little bit of time and effort on your part to get a dog and cat to live together harmoniously.

Good luck with your search.

Just had a quick play with that.

Is it just me, or don't they have the csv (Czechoslovakian Vlcak) on their breed list?

And since when was a goldendoodle a breed?

Apart from that, its fun to play with.

Hi Tazer

Yes, it is fun to play with and quite addictive, I find! BTW, the Goldendoodle is described as "Not as yet considered to be a 'breed', but a Golden Retriever / Poodle cross."

Um, what's a Czechoslovakian Vlcak? That's one I've not heard of!

(Sorry OP, slightly off track...)